Nexus 5X: Now you can unlock, root, and install custom recovery

One of the things that tends to set Google Nexus phones apart from other smartphones is just how easy it is to modify the software running on the phones. While things have gotten a little more complicated with the introduction of new security features for the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, it is already possible to unlock the bootloader, install a custom recovery, and root the Google Nexus 5X.

Xda-developers forum member TheDj408 has posted a step-by-step guide. There are a few things to note before getting started:

Unlocking your bootloader will wipe all the data on you device, so make sure to save backups of anything important before you start.

You’ll need to flash the phone with a modified boot image, which could keep your phone from being able to install over-the-air updates int he future.

That said, when you’re done you’ll have a phone that can apps that require root access and which has a custom recovery that gives you more control over the way you can backup, restore, or flash updates to your phone.

Note that the guide will also decrypt your phone, which could make your device less secure, but which could also improve performance.

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Though I’m still rocking my good old Nexus 5, I think it’s generally considered a bad idea to try and accept OTAs once you’ve rooted on any Nexus device. It’s pretty painless to grab the stock images and selectively fastboot flash the correct bits and pieces.